An excerpt from a Nettwerk Records press release, July 1996:
The roots of The Tear Garden extend back to 1983 when Cevin Key, on the verge of forming Skinny Puppy, struck up a trans-Atlantic correspondence with Edward Ka-Spel, the lead vocalist and driving force behind The Legendary Pink Dots. Three years later, Ka-Spel visited Vancouver for a series of three live performances with Key as sound technician, and during his visit, they recorded The Tear Garden's self-titled debut EP.
In 1987, Ka-Spel returned to open for Skinny Puppy on their North American tour, after which the duo retreated to the studio for two weeks to produce the now classic electronic-psychedelic album, Tired Eyes Slowly Burning. It was during these sessions that the project's ranks began to expand, with guest appearances by Key's fellow Puppies Dwayne Goettel and Nivek Ogre.
Four years later, the Garden bloomed again, this time growing well beyond the Key/Ka-Spel partnership to include not only Goettel, but a wide assortment of friends, including most of the Pink Dots. This fruitful month-long collaboration spawned two releases: an album called The Last Man To Fly, and a (very long) EP called Sheila Liked The Rodeo.
Another four years passed. Four years that saw literal and figurative deaths (the departure of both Skinny Puppy and LPD from their long-time labels; the subsequent break-up of SP; the tragic passing of Dwayne Goettel) and births (Edward's son, Calyxx; Download; Key's return to Nettwerk).
In late December, 1995, in the midst of this turbulence, The Tear Garden gathered once more, perhaps to attempt to trigger the dawn of a tranquil new era. The result was To Be An Angel Blind, The Crippled Soul Divide, an album of fragile and powerful beauty that digs even deeper into the psychedelic underground than its predecessors, adding a range of influences from dub bass to country slide guitar, all the while retaining the dark electronic melancholy that has become the project's signature.
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Four more years passed. Tear Garden got back together in 1999 and in 2000, Crystal Mass was released. In 2001, a "best of" collection was issued by the Russian label Brudenia, Для Тех, Ҡто Прогулялся Бьі С Богами (which translates to "For Those Who Would Walk with the Gods") as well as an "outtakes" collection released by Cevin Key's Subconscious Communications label, Eye Spy with My Little Eye.
2007 saw the release of The Secret Experiment, once again on Subconscious Communications. This is from the "Vault 2" series but features new music.
Currently, Edward and cEvin wrapped up their sessions of 13 tracks, compiled into a brand new upcoming TG release, available through Subcon.
Discography
* Tired Eyes Slowly Burning (1987)
* Last Man to Fly (1992)
* Sheila Liked The Rodeo (1993)
* Bouquet of Black Orchids (1993)
* To Be an Angel Blind, The Crippled Soul Divide (1996)
* Crystal Mass (2000)
* Eye Spy With My Little Eye (2002)
* The Secret Experiment (2007)
http://brainwashed.com/teargarden/
The Great Lie
The Tear Garden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Four guys, two thousand years ago
Over wine and cigarettes
They had this great idea
(?)
How long is it going to last?
(?)
What if they made everything up?
What are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
Dressed like that?
The Great Lie by The Tear Garden is a song that invites its listeners to question their faith and beliefs. In the lyrics, the singer suggests that the concept of religion might have been fabricated by four individuals who came up with the idea over a casual conversation, fueled by wine and cigarettes. The line "What if they made it all up?" is repeated several times, emphasizing the notion that the entire religious ideology could be nothing more than a figment of human imagination. The singer also questions the longevity of the religion, wondering how long people will hold onto an idea that might be false.
The chorus of the song, "What are you doing here? Dressed like that?" is a direct reference to the dress codes and customs associated with organized religion. The singer is curious about why people continue to follow the traditions and customs associated with religion despite the possibility of it being a false notion. The verses of the song are a reflection of the inner turmoil and confusion one might experience when questioning their faith, wondering if all the beliefs they were raised with are nothing more than a lie.
Line by Line Meaning
What if they made it all up
What if the stories we were told were fabricated?
Four guys, two thousand years ago
Referring to the four gospel writers who wrote about Jesus' life and teachings, which happened over two thousand years ago.
Over wine and cigarettes
Could be a metaphor for discussing and creating falsehoods over indulgences.
They had this great idea
The idea to fabricate stories about a savior and religious teachings.
(?)
There is no specified line in the lyrics.
How long is it going to last?
Wondering how long people will continue to believe in these lies and perpetuate them.
What if they made everything up?
Repeating the same question from the first line, emphasizing the possibility of falsehoods.
What are you doing here?
Questioning the listener's presence and participation in this religious structure based on potential falsehoods.
What are you doing here?
Repeating the same question, once again emphasizing the potential for falsehoods.
What are you doing here?
Yet another repetition of the question, placing more emphasis on the listener's presence and participation.
Dressed like that?
Could be a sarcastic jab at religious attire, insinuating that it is ridiculous and unnecessary to dress up for religion.
Contributed by Aaron M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
myopicvision
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